


Life He Wanted, The

by westwingfanfictioncentral_archivist



Category: The West Wing
Genre: Episode Tag, Episode: s03e12 The Two Bartlets
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2004-01-15
Updated: 2004-01-15
Packaged: 2019-05-31 06:16:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 575
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15113528
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/westwingfanfictioncentral_archivist/pseuds/westwingfanfictioncentral_archivist
Summary: "And I can't help but think if he would've been able to live the life he wanted to live..."





	Life He Wanted, The

**Author's Note:**

> A copy of this work was once archived at National Library, a part of the [ West Wing Fanfiction Central](https://fanlore.org/wiki/West_Wing_Fanfiction_Central), a West Wing fanfiction archive. More information about the Open Doors approved archive move can be found in the [announcement post](http://archiveofourown.org/admin_posts/8325).

**The Life He Wanted**  
**by:** Kasey

**Character(s):** CJ  
**Category(s):** POST-EP: The Two Bartlets  
**Rating:** TEEN  
**Disclaimer:** Don't own them, massive spoilers for the ep it's set after, other than that it's nothing major.  
**Summary:** "And I can't help but think if he would've been able to live the life he wanted to live..." 

The life he wanted didn't just involve more promotions or being the superintendent - truth be told, I don't even think he would have *wanted* to be the superintendent, I think it's just that he would've liked to have been *offered* that position...That would've meant a lot. 

And it's not like having the promotions would've been a bad thing, he would've been happy - he liked people to take notice of his hard work. I'm not sure my brothers and I did enough of that - Obviously when he did something for us that was special, like when he built us our clubhouse fort in the backyard, we said thank you and were happy and gave him lots of hugs, but I'm not sure it was enough, especially when he got to hear whining twelve- and thirteen-year-olds all day at work in response for not a lot of money and not enough thanks. 

We always had enough, it wasn't like he needed to be promoted so we could have food on the table - we lived in a nice house in the suburbs with plenty of food on the table and a vacation every summer for a week, he came to each and every one of my school plays and each and every one of my brothers' sports things, and I never thought of anything as missing from my life... 

But I really think he did. 

If he would've had the life he'd wanted, then my mom would've been at all those events with him, and she would've been teaching English at the high school across the street from William Henry Harrison Jr. High, and there would've been one brother in the family younger than me. 

But my father, the control freak, couldn't control certain things, like car crashes or affirmative action promotions that put him at the bottom of every list, even though he was the son of two Welsh immigrants. 

And in the life he'd wanted, he wouldn't be slowly slipping to the point at which half the time when I talk to him he doesn't remember my name; He wouldn't be sitting alone in the old house, watching for me on CNN, confused about how I can be on there and on the phone to him at the same time, he'd-... 

He'd be looking forward to coming to the next innauguration in January, and he'd know what damn MONTH it is, for cryin' out loud-... 

He's a good man - a great man, honest and...firm, but loving and...a great father, it's not like I had to be raised by a neighbour 'cause I didn't have a mother to take care of me - Dad was phenomenal and I can't believe how he raised three kids while trying to get over the death of the love of his life...and how does he get rewarded? 

By having his brain slowly melt away, his...beautiful mind sinking further and further from the surface to the point at which I barely know him anymore, and he can't tell my two brothers apart. 

He deserves much better - he always deserved better than he got. 


End file.
